Bertani announces bid for county’s District 3 seat

City Councilwoman Pam Bertani, left, laughs as Solano County Supervisor Skip Thomson, right, speaks, Wednesday in front of the Solano County Government Center. Bertani announced her candidacy for the county's 3rd Supervisor District seat at the event. (Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic)

FAIRFIELD — City Councilwoman Pam Bertani announced Wednesday that she’s running for Solano County supervisor after the Rev. Mervin Davis introduced her by saying Bertani “is facing a Goliath” – and added that the end of that Bible story is well-known.

Bertani in her announcement spoke about the connections residents make with their community.

“A wise man once said, ‘We drink from wells that we did not dig,’ ” she recounted. “We prosper from people whom we did not know.”

“I believe in this community – and that it can become the Solano County that we’re all proud to call home,” Bertani said. “We deserve more.”

“We’ll win,” she added. “We’ll change this county, district by district.”

The 3rd District seat, for which incumbent Jim Spering is also running, includes a large part of Fairfield and parts of Suisun City.

Davis, pastor of True Love Baptist Church in Fairfield, said Board of Supervisors candidate Bertani “is just what this county needs.”

“She’s fresh blood – an infusion I believe the county needs on the board,” he said.

Bertani said she is from Oakland and that back in the day, churches made things happen and were an engine of social justice and change.

“This is going to be a great race – a fun race,” she said of the election.

She spoke next to the fountains at the county government center and in front of supporters, including Solano County Supervisors Skip Thomson and Linda Seifert.

Thomson spoke at the announcement and, noting the clouds he saw in the morning, said, “I’m hoping there will be more than a just a change in the weather.”

He said of Bertani’s work: “She rolls her sleeves up – literally.”

“We in politics have one thing and that’s our word,” the county supervisor said. “Pam reflects that.”

Bertani referred to community efforts after a 2012 homicide at Parkway Gardens and spoke about a safety meeting set Wednesday night at the condominium development after another killing took place there.

“District 3 started its year off again with a homicide at Parkway Gardens,” she said.

The Fairfield city councilwoman is an attorney who graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, before getting her law degree from Arizona State University College of Law. Bertani finished first when she ran in 2011 for the Fairfield City Council.

Seifert praised Bertani’s work on the City Council.

“She’s smart. She’s approachable,” Seifert said.

Karin MacMillan, mayor of Fairfield from 2001-05 and a councilwoman for a decade, attended the announcement.

“I like what Pam stands for,” she said.

Michael Weinberg, a political organizer for the Service Employees International Union Local 1021, said he supports Bertani and that she’ll speak for those “who haven’t had a voice on the Board of Supervisors.”

Ryan McCarthy

Discussion | 20 comments

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FranckJanuary 30, 2014 - 12:06 am

What has Pam done for the city of Fairfield while holding office? She says this county can be changed district by district but has yet to make a change in Fairfield. How can she take on the problems of a county but has yet to prove herself at a city level. My fellow citizens please do not fall for the same false promises that were delivered in her campaign for city council. It seems we were merly a stepping stone for her own agenda.

boomJanuary 30, 2014 - 1:35 am

Honestly, I think some new blood is needed. Out with the sperings, the deli boss(Vasquez) and We couldn't forget about good ole' boy Skippy now, could we? She hasn't been completely tainted by a career in politics like the rest of that motley crew.

MikeJanuary 30, 2014 - 1:40 am

MikeJanuary 30, 2014 - 1:38 am

I think that Pam is truly a viable candidate and it's fair to say that she doesn't have much to work with in terms of colleagues on the council. Members like Mraz and Moy aren't exactly the "cream of the crop." I think she's an ambitious woman with skill, intellect and incredible potential. Truth is, she should have been running for a Board of Supervisors seat all along. Not only is she one of the brightest minds to ever sit among our council, but she's one of the brightest leaders across the state of California. Pam has done some key work in crime prevention and continues to work tirelessly. Pam has built unity within the community among persons that were without a voice, otherwise. Pam has been a spokesperson for "a better community" because Fairfield isn't exactly the premier place to be right now. If we'd get behind her and support the ideas, perhaps we'd get somewhere. I don't know about you, but Fairfield needs a profound facelift.

Rich GiddensJanuary 30, 2014 - 5:56 am

Pam Bertani and Lori Wilson will continue to turn this community into Detroit or Chicago- land. They are both big government liberal progressive ''government is the final tyrannical solution'' types. They will coddle criminals and corrupt, inefficient biased cops. They will run business and 2 parent families out and your welfare / illegal underclass dummies will vote for and cheer them on every downward degenererate step of the way. Yuck!

Rich GiddensJanuary 30, 2014 - 6:00 am

All of the candidates are Rat Political Party uber-tyrant government types. My advice is get out of California while you still can. Take your business and family, saddle up and head east. Where ever you go, be sure to warn the people that California is a lawless tyrannical un-American State of chaos and anarchy.

The MisterJanuary 30, 2014 - 6:34 am

SteveJanuary 30, 2014 - 7:24 am

So let's get this straight. She wants to stop the murders in Parkway Gardens. She wants to run for the Board of Supervisors to do this. The Board manages the budget of the Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff's Department has no jurisdiction over Parkway Gardens. So she move to a position with no authority to solve her main concern. Does anyone else smell a rat here?

SteveJanuary 30, 2014 - 9:17 am

She ran on two platforms. Parkway Gardens and bringing business to the downtown. She has done two things. She has managed to get herself removed from Parkway Gardens. The residents asked her never to come back. And she asked City workers to put a picket fence around a vacant lot downtown. The lot is still vacant.

MarkJanuary 30, 2014 - 9:40 am

She's not Spering and that's a good thing. But she should finish out the term that the people elected her to first. Let everyone see what her record in office really is. Or is she going to become another Skip, jumping from job to job without finishing one?

SobreakitdownformeJanuary 30, 2014 - 11:22 am

People talk about how shes "fresh blood" for supervisor yet shes being endorsed by 2 other supervisors Seifert and Thompson. Sounds like she is just their prey waiting. How can you be fresh to the group if the group is possibly recruiting her. I bet she wouldnt have run without their endorsements, now they want her support if she wins.

Margie MJanuary 30, 2014 - 11:40 am

She wants you to think she is a fresh breath but she only attracts labor union lackeys to her side. This is not the way Solano County should go. I agree we need change here but not her , we have tried that and proved it does not work. The above article is laced with names of those who have failed us. The mere mention of S.E.I.U should be enough to stay away from her.

Me againJanuary 30, 2014 - 7:37 pm

Wow Margie, quite the hater on SEIU aren’t you…What’s your take on Fairfield’s Police & Fire Unions & their puppets Mraz & Moy? Those two union groups cost Fairfield tax payers more than Fairfield’s FEA members (SEIU) ever will. FEA contributed more towards Fairfield’s budget crisis than those groups did & they still do. Case in point the resent MOU’s. FEA (SEIU) settled seven months ago while FPOA (Police Union) only just settled & FPFA (Fire Union) have yet to settle. FEA continues with their cut in pay in the form of furloughs & even agreed to pay 2.5 % more towards PERS for a total 7% through the current MOU while FPOA only pays 2.25% towards there PERS retirement through their current MOA. I think it’s safe to say FEA got little in return with their contribution to Bertani. And Fairfield yet again missed another chance to gain some savings from the high cost of Police PERS retirement thanks to Fairfield’s city council. Guess we know where that extra 1 cent sales tax is going. You are correct though; there are a lot of so called leaders that have failed us. But that’s just my opinion.

George Guynn, JrJanuary 30, 2014 - 8:58 pm

Steve, you forgot to mention that Bertani has endorsed Common Core, even though she knows jack about it and the city council doesn't run the school board. So she has done three things, none of them being good for Fairfield! Spering needs to go, but we don't need Pam.

SalJanuary 31, 2014 - 6:41 pm

I am a Fairfield resident and I agree that Bertani did nothing for this city as a council member. She made grand speeches that she would revive the downtown etc. She did not live up to her promise. Now she promises to fight crime? Why should we believe her?